Peak Dale Primary School

  • Primary
  • Local authority maintained
  • Ages 4 to 11
Ofsted judgements: Good

School Road, Peak Dale, Buxton, SK17 8AJOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

Peak Dale Primary School is a primary school in Buxton for ages 4 to 11. It is one of the 449 schools in Derbyshire. It ranks 6th of 6 primary schools in Buxton. Its latest Ofsted inspection, in October 2024, graded each key judgement and gave no overall Ofsted rating.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 1 October 2024, report published 10 November 2024

This inspection graded each key judgement and gave no overall effectiveness grade.

Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Early years provision
Good
Safeguarding
Met

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 1 October 2024

This small village school is 'full of heart'. It has a shared vision for all its pupils to achieve highly, both academically and in their personal development. Pupils work hard to fulfil these expectations. The school wants to ensure that every child is well prepared for their next stage in education, as well as for life in wider society. Every pupil benefits from 'curriculum gift' experiences during their time at the school. They enjoy opportunities to create art on canvas, participate in sports events and perform poetry to live audiences at local theatres. There is a keen focus on pupils learning outside to support their physical and mental health. Pupils are happy and proud of their school. They love being able to play and learn together. They behave well in lessons and around school. Pupils respond readily to teachers' expectations and show positive attitudes to their learning. They feel safe and trust that the adults in school will look after them. Parents and carers appreciate the support that their children receive. As one parent typically commented, this is, 'A caring primary school that does its best to develop well- rounded young people.'

What the school should improve

  • Occasionally, the activities that pupils complete do not help them to deepen their understanding of the subject. This leads to inconsistencies in how well pupils learn the curriculum. The school must ensure that the curriculum is implemented consistently so that the depth of pupils' knowledge of the intended subject content is secure.
  • Adaptations to the curriculum to support the needs of pupils with SEND are sometimes not as precise as they could be. These pupils are not always ready for their next step in learning. The school must ensure that the curriculum is carefully and precisely adapted to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.

Exam results

SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25

14 pupils took the tests

Expected standard in reading, writing and maths21%

21%, 41 percentage points below the England average of 62%.

Higher standard in reading, writing and maths0%

0%, 8 percentage points below the England average of 8%.

Reading, average scaled score102

102, 4 below the England average of 106.

Maths, average scaled score97

97, 8 below the England average of 105.

Grammar, punctuation and spelling, average scaled score100

100, 5 below the England average of 105.

Pupil numbers and mix

77 pupils on roll, with places for 88

Eligible for free school meals16.9%

16.9%, 9.6 percentage points below the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language0%

0%, 21.6 percentage points below the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support19.5%

19.5%, 4.7 percentage points above the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan1.3%

1.3%, 4.7 percentage points below the England average of 6%.

Schools near Peak Dale Primary School

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
Dove Holes CofE Primary School1 mileOfsted: GoodNot published
St Peter's Church of England (VC) Junior School2 milesOfsted: Good53% met the expected standard
Fairfield Infant and Nursery School2 milesOfsted judgements: GoodNot published
St Anne's Catholic Voluntary Academy2 milesOfsted: Good53% met the expected standard
Peak Forest Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School2 milesOfsted: GoodNot published

School details

School type
Community school
Sector
Local authority maintained
Age range
4 to 11
Gender
Mixed
Nursery classes
No
Headteacher
Mr James Handley
Address
School Road, Peak Dale, Buxton, SK17 8AJ
Local authority
Derbyshire
URN
112656

School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.